A simple yet delicious Vegetable Orzo Soup recipe! Made with tender orzo pasta, hearty veggies, and a light, flavorful broth. Customize it with the veggies you enjoy! (Vegan, oil-free, gluten-free option.)
This Vegetable Orzo Soup is cozy and simple!
We combine tender orzo pasta with hearty veggies in a light, flavorful broth. It's quick & easy to prepare and made with basic, budget-friendly ingredients. (Many pantry staples!)
Plus you can easily customize it with the vegetables you love or whatever's in season. See below for some customizing ideas.
Ingredients for Vegetable Orzo Soup
For this recipe you'll simmer in a large pot on the stovetop:
- Onion: You'll need one small yellow onion. Or substitute white or sweet onion instead.
- Carrot
- Fresh garlic cloves: Or you can swap in dried garlic powder if needed.
- Potato: I use Yukon gold potato for their rich, buttery taste, but white or russet works great too. I purchase organic whenever possible and leave the skins on for added nutrients. But you can peel them if you prefer.
- Peas: For convenience, I use frozen sweet peas and sweet corn.
- Sweet corn: Either fresh, frozen, or canned.
- Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium if needed.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: I enjoy the flavor of fire-roasted in this dish, but you can use regular canned diced tomatoes if desired.
- Orzo pasta: We'll use a half cup orzo. This is a type of small pasta that's shaped like a large grain of rice. Be aware most orzo is not gluten-free as it's typically made from semolina, which is a flour made from durum wheat. (But there are a couple brands that carry a gluten-free orzo. One is called Jovial that makes an organic cassava flour orzo. I've seen other brands that use rice flour and corn flour if you need a gluten-free option as well.)
- Italian seasoning: You can also add salt and black pepper to taste.
- Apple cider vinegar & fresh parsley: These are optional (but recommended!) add-ins at the end to enhance the flavor.
Customizing
Herbs & seasoning: Instead of Italian seasoning, use your own favorites. Try dried basil, oregano, bay leaves (remove before serving), thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, cumin, etc.
Miso: I like adding white miso to soups for salty, umami flavor. At the end of simmering time, simply whisk together a miso slurry. (Combine a couple teaspoons white miso with a small amount of warm water. Whisk until the clumps are smoothed. Then add to your pot and stir.)
Greens: Stir in a handful of baby spinach towards the end of cooking time.
Beans: Include a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), white beans, or other bean.
Seasonal Eating
Change it up with seasonal produce throughout the year! You can slightly adjust the initial cook time (before adding the orzo) depending on what veggies you're using and how long they need to cook. But a few ideas include:
Spring: Asparagus, green onions, mushrooms, and peas (either sweet peas, sugar snap peas, snow peas, etc.)
Summer: Zucchini, yellow summer squash, red bell pepper, green beans, celery, and fresh sweet corn.
Autumn: Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, butternut squash, delicata squash, and carrots.
Winter: Cabbage, broccoli, winter squash, potato, and kale.
Serving
Garnish: Add fresh herbs to your bowl (like basil or parsley), Vegan Parmesan Cheese, or red pepper flakes for spice. If you like an acidic touch, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice is great as well. Try apple cider vinegar or even balsamic vinegar for a deeper flavor.
Pairing: Serve this soup with a side salad, crispy sourdough bread, or whatever else sounds good!
Storing
Let the soup cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan soup recipes.
Vegetable Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 carrot
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 8 oz. gold potato (about 1 medium/large)
- 3/4 cup sweet peas (I use frozen)
- 3/4 cup sweet corn (I use frozen)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 15 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta (about 3 oz.)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Stir-in (optional but recommended):
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1-2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Dice onion and carrot. Mince garlic. Dice potato in small bite-sized pieces.
- In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion and carrot for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for oil-free sauté method, adding more as needed.)
- When onion is soft, add garlic, potato, peas, corn, and Italian seasoning. Stir and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a light boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add orzo. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. (I find orzo has a tendency to stick to the bottom so it's best to stir often.) When orzo is just tender, turn off heat.
- Stir in apple cider vinegar and fresh parsley. Serve with salt & pepper to taste if needed. (Be aware the soup continues to thicken as it sits and the orzo soaks up more broth. It's best not to overcook the orzo.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
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